Pakistan's military intelligence closes its political wing

Published: Wednesday, September 22, 2010, 15:53 [IST]

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Islamabad, Sep 22 (ANI): Following in the footsteps of Pakistan's intelligence agency - the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) - the Military Intelligence (MI) has also reportedly shut down its political wing.

According to a source, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Kayani, who had earlier ordered the closure of ISI's political wing, reportedly made the decision, The Peninsula reported.

The secret agency had been told to immediately stop gathering information pertaining to the country's politics, the source said, adding, "MI is not involved in any kind of political business anymore."

However, Military Public Relations Office ISPR's spokesperson Major General Athar Abbas claimed that MI had always been apolitical.

"The MI has nothing to do with the country's political affairs. t deals purely with the military's internal matters," he said.

According to sources, MI has been told to concentrate on its main task - the country's national security with a key thrust on counter-terrorism.

In an effort to ensure free and fair general elections, Kayani had strictly barred the ISI from political hobnobbing during the 2008 general elections in the country. (ANI)